It's not that skin color is offensive. It is because in the past, skin color was used to create terms like redskins, darkies, yellowskins... which were originally intended to be derogatory. It's not about what it means now, it's about what the origins of it are. Even the "N" word comes from the skin color. 

 

 

Sorry to respond so late, and this quote is my answer for Sammy's perfectly reasonable question about what is offensive about skin color.

 

When you nickname someone, it is often a subtle form of bullying.  When you call someone a "Redskin" - which no one does, these days - you put someone is an group.  You stereotype him.  You place him in a box, a file, a culture which may be real or fantasy.  I am not Native American, but I know what it is like to check a box on a job application, and be rejected because of it.  And yes, it was illegal, but that didn't stop it from happening. 

 

So please excuse me if I understand why a Native American, part of a culture that has been misunderstood and mistreated for hundreds of years, might take exception to being placed in a box.  No, you're not doing it.  But someone did, long ago, and your second favorite team's name is a vestige of a method of dehumanizing a people.  And maybe that's way off base, and not the intent of the folks that came up with the nickname, but that's the way it is perceived now.

 

When this topic originally came up, RJ had the best point:  Find one of your Native American friends, call him a Redskin, and see where that gets you.  I also related the topic to the Confederate flag, which was once kinda cool.  Now, not so much.  I bought the "Heritage, not hate" argument, but a lot of other people didn't, so I respect that. 

 

My own skin could be described as "ruddy".  Which is to say, reddish brown. 

 

I'd hate to be called a redskin.

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Sorry to respond so late, and this quote is my answer for Sammy's perfectly reasonable question about what is offensive about skin color.

 

When you nickname someone, it is often a subtle form of bullying.  When you call someone a "Redskin" - which no one does, these days - you put someone is an group.  You stereotype him.  You place him in a box, a file, a culture which may be real or fantasy.  I am not Native American, but I know what it is like to check a box on a job application, and be rejected because of it.  And yes, it was illegal, but that didn't stop it from happening. 

 

So please excuse me if I understand why a Native American, part of a culture that has been misunderstood and mistreated for hundreds of years, might take exception to being placed in a box.  No, you're not doing it.  But someone did, long ago, and your second favorite team's name is a vestige of a method of dehumanizing a people.  And maybe that's way off base, and not the intent of the folks that came up with the nickname, but that's the way it is perceived now.

 

When this topic originally came up, RJ had the best point:  Find one of your Native American friends, call him a Redskin, and see where that gets you.  I also related the topic to the Confederate flag, which was once kinda cool.  Now, not so much.  I bought the "Heritage, not hate" argument, but a lot of other people didn't, so I respect that. 

 

My own skin could be described as "ruddy".  Which is to say, reddish brown. 

 

I'd hate to be called a redskin.

 

 

I would never call anyone a Redskin, unless it was a Redskins fan. Why do people think that is what is happening? It's the old fall back to the debate ... "Oh yeah, call someone a Redskin", like it happens everyday of their life. It doesn't, it's nothing more than making the name fit an offensive nature. Where is this hidden backwards society that uses that term? If they are real, we need to work with them to fix the issues they have, and those issues go way deeper than the name Redskins.

 

My 2nd team is not the Redskins, it is the Jaguars. Redskins were my past, and would not crack my top 15.

 

It would be interesting to hear what box you checked. Depending on timeframe, it could have been illegal (and should be prosecuted). There is no box to check for race in any form, or fashion on job applications in the U.S. today. We take race discrimination very seriously, and I am a little proud of that fact on the ends that I can control. If you do know of a Job application that has discriminatory boxes, please turn this into the authorities, or send it to me ... I will.

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I would never call anyone a Redskin, unless it was a Redskins fan. Why do people think that is what is happening? It's the old fall back to the debate ... "Oh yeah, call someone a Redskin", like it happens everyday of their life. It doesn't, it's nothing more than making the name fit an offensive nature. Where is this hidden backwards society that uses that term? If they are real, we need to work with them to fix the issues they have, and those issues go way deeper than the name Redskins.

 

My 2nd team is not the Redskins, it is the Jaguars. Redskins were my past, and would not crack my top 15.

 

It would be interesting to hear what box you checked. Depending on timeframe, it could have been illegal (and should be prosecuted). There is no box to check for race in any form, or fashion on job applications in the U.S. today. We take race discrimination very seriously, and I am a little proud of that fact on the ends that I can control. If you do know of a Job application that has discriminatory boxes, please turn this into the authorities, or send it to me ... I will.

 

There is still a race box to check on ALL applications via online, paper, etc. Of course you can wish not to answer.

 

Kinda going off-topic but here is an intresting story.

 

http://www.techyville.com/2012/11/news/u...skyrocket/

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Whether someone has a liberal, or conservative viewpoint, a authoritative figure should not lock a thread for the sole purpose to get the last word in all the while prohibiting someone else from being able to respond.

So is the uproar because the term "Redskin" was at one point used as a derogatory term?

 

If that's the case what about the Yankees? That was ALWAYS a derogatory term in the South, heck I know people who still view it as a derogatory term. Do we need to change the Yankees name?

 

Maybe the Patriots, I mean that could be offensive, especially if we plan on expanding into England, you know they guys the Patriots fought and killed.

 

I bet some peolpe find the term Cowboy derogatory, so you tell me where does it end? Should we just have city names and drop team names all together?

 

I hope aren't serious

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I would never call anyone a Redskin, unless it was a Redskins fan. Why do people think that is what is happening? It's the old fall back to the debate ... "Oh yeah, call someone a Redskin", like it happens everyday of their life. It doesn't, it's nothing more than making the name fit an offensive nature. Where is this hidden backwards society that uses that term? If they are real, we need to work with them to fix the issues they have, and those issues go way deeper than the name Redskins.

 

My 2nd team is not the Redskins, it is the Jaguars. Redskins were my past, and would not crack my top 15.

 

It would be interesting to hear what box you checked. Depending on timeframe, it could have been illegal (and should be prosecuted). There is no box to check for race in any form, or fashion on job applications in the U.S. today. We take race discrimination very seriously, and I am a little proud of that fact on the ends that I can control. If you do know of a Job application that has discriminatory boxes, please turn this into the authorities, or send it to me ... I will.

 

Sammy...If the team was called the "N-word"s. What then? It's the same thing. Just because you don't hear it used in that fashion as much anymore, doesn't change the history of the word. 

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Live long and prosper \\// 

So is the uproar because the term "Redskin" was at one point used as a derogatory term?

 

If that's the case what about the Yankees? That was ALWAYS a derogatory term in the South, heck I know people who still view it as a derogatory term. Do we need to change the Yankees name?

 

Maybe the Patriots, I mean that could be offensive, especially if we plan on expanding into England, you know they guys the Patriots fought and killed.

 

I bet some peolpe find the term Cowboy derogatory, so you tell me where does it end? Should we just have city names and drop team names all together?

 

Yankees are not a race and was not used in the same way we are talking about here at all. 

 

Patriot is a word. The American revolutionaries do not have exclusive rights to that word. So, yeah. 

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Live long and prosper \\// 

Yankees are not a race and was not used in the same way we are talking about here at all. 

 

Patriot is a word. The American revolutionaries do not have exclusive rights to that word. So, yeah. 

 

But don't you think some people in London might find it offensive to glorify a team name they fought against. It's like one day having a Taliban name, that would be offensive no?

 

Yankee's not a race but it describes a people, and it's not in a good light when used by many in the South.

 

I know these are EXTREME examples, obviously we don't even have a team in London. I'm just trying to illustrate the absurdity this path can take you down.

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Hi, my name is Khan and I live at the Jacksonville zoo. I find the name of your professional football team to be offensive because they are not real jaguars. Me and some other jaguars are not going to allow this travesty to continue. So if the name is not changed you can expect some faces to be chewed off. GOT IT?

 

 

 



 

Oh yeah, and this is my mommy,  she can straight up get down on some face chewin' jack.

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Looking to troll? Don't bother, we supply our own.

 

 

I hope aren't serious

 

using exaggeration to illustrate a point my man.

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Sammy...If the team was called the "N-word"s. What then? It's the same thing. Just because you don't hear it used in that fashion as much anymore, doesn't change the history of the word. 

 

What if's can't be debated.

 

What if is the one silver bullet in any debate. What if WW3 started tomorrow with a full out nuclear war, would any of us really give a hoot about the name Redskins?

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Yankee's not a race but it describes a people, and it's not in a good light when used by many in the South.

 

 

That may be the closest name that could be used in such a discussion (that I can think of at the moment).

 

I could see a lot of people being proud of the name Yankee. I will have to ponder this point a bit longer.

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Hi, my name is Khan and I live at the Jacksonville zoo. I find the name of your professional football team to be offensive because they are not real jaguars. Me and some other jaguars are not going to allow this travesty to continue. So if the name is not changed you can expect some faces to be chewed off. GOT IT?

 

 

 

 

 

If you were going for silly, you accomplished your task   ... but wouldn't Carolinas Black Panther helmet have been a more logical choice.

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There is still a race box to check on ALL applications via online, paper, etc. Of course you can wish not to answer.

 

Kinda going off-topic but here is an intresting story.

 

http://www.techyville.com/2012/11/news/u...skyrocket/

 

There should be no box at all, does the form clearly state the "Not to answer if you wish not to"? I can't say I like any part of that idea ... Can you send me a couple examples? Maybe someone isn't doing the job they should be doing.

 

I didn't read the article, but there would be many examples of unfair hiring practices, to which I myself would fit into a victimized area of discrimination, and unfair employment practices category. I could probably disguise myself, or possibly more accurately misrepresent myself in order to get around these practices as well. As a whole this country does need to do a much better job, and there are clear signs we are moving in the right direction. Very much slower than we should all desire.

 

Clearly we are getting away from the Redskins name, to which is not my intentions. I will probably always consider it a name of Honor.

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So is the uproar because the term "Redskin" was at one point used as a derogatory term?

 

If that's the case what about the Yankees? That was ALWAYS a derogatory term in the South, heck I know people who still view it as a derogatory term. Do we need to change the Yankees name?

 

Maybe the Patriots, I mean that could be offensive, especially if we plan on expanding into England, you know they guys the Patriots fought and killed.

 

I bet some peolpe find the term Cowboy derogatory, so you tell me where does it end? Should we just have city names and drop team names all together?

 

"Yankee" is an English word that predates the civil war:

 

Possibly Dutch in origin

 

"Patriot" is not unique to citizens of the United States.  I'm not surprised you didn't immediately recognize this, and it's not your fault.

 

The term "cowboy" predates the American Revolution.  The fact that African Americans were over-represented in the career in the late 19th century is coincidental.

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I know these are EXTREME examples, obviously we don't even have a team in London. I'm just trying to illustrate the absurdity this path can take you down.

 

The highlighted portions are thrown around in political debates all the time. Usually by those losing an argument.

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Sammy...If the team was called the "N-word"s. What then? It's the same thing. Just because you don't hear it used in that fashion as much anymore, doesn't change the history of the word. 

Doesn't change the history, but it does change the connotations.  Connotations of a word change over time.  


"Redskins" has become more associated with the NFL Team, than an offensive term for Native Americans

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I was wrong about Trent Baalke. 

I would never call anyone a Redskin, unless it was a Redskins fan. Why do people think that is what is happening? It's the old fall back to the debate ... "Oh yeah, call someone a Redskin", like it happens everyday of their life. It doesn't, it's nothing more than making the name fit an offensive nature. Where is this hidden backwards society that uses that term? If they are real, we need to work with them to fix the issues they have, and those issues go way deeper than the name Redskins.

 

My 2nd team is not the Redskins, it is the Jaguars. Redskins were my past, and would not crack my top 15.

 

It would be interesting to hear what box you checked. Depending on timeframe, it could have been illegal (and should be prosecuted). There is no box to check for race in any form, or fashion on job applications in the U.S. today. We take race discrimination very seriously, and I am a little proud of that fact on the ends that I can control. If you do know of a Job application that has discriminatory boxes, please turn this into the authorities, or send it to me ... I will.

 

First of all, really glad that Washington is no longer your favorite team.  Growing up in the Carolinas, they were everyone else's favorite, and I couldn't stand them.  I really like Joe Gibbs and consider him a class act, but every time John Riggins shows up somewhere and opens his mouth I just cringe.

 

The etymology of the word "Redskin" can be found here:

 

Wiki page

 

Sorry to keep using Wikipedia, but it's what I have time for.  As with most words, the history is in dispute.  According to the page, the link between red skin = red scalp is specious.  I do buy what they said in the first paragraph of the article; Referring to a group of people by the color of their skin is considered universally derogatory.  Perhaps what Snyder said about the first Washington teams meaning nothing but respect to Native Americans is true.  But hey, times change, just like it has for the Battle Cross.

 

The block I filled in on my first job application was for citizenship.  I think there were 3: Native Citizen, Naturalized citizen, and Legal Resident.  Management was only looking for the one box.  The day that management changed at the store, 2 years after I initially and repeatedly applied, I was hired. 

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"Yankee" is an English word that predates the civil war:

 

Possibly Dutch in origin

 

"Patriot" is not unique to citizens of the United States.  I'm not surprised you didn't immediately recognize this, and it's not your fault.

 

The term "cowboy" predates the American Revolution.  The fact that African Americans were over-represented in the career in the late 19th century is coincidental.

 

So is the term Redskin exclusive to American Indians? I'm no linguist so it's an honest question. Obviously I'm not advocating changing the names of the Yankees, Patriots or Cowboys.

 

As to the point about Patriots it's obviously a referral to the American Patriots the mascot downright to the logo are from the revolutionary war.

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The highlighted portions are thrown around in political debates all the time. Usually by those losing an argument.

 

Yet they can't be disregarded without disregarding the need to change the name Redskins.

 

I have no dog in this fight, I'm just pointing out if your going to change one teams name because someone is offended then you'll have to consider when other cultures are offended by other names,

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Not even remotely reaching.  You're the one reaching by comparing it to the freaking Civil Rights Movement.  But that's what you do when you want to feel morally superior on an issue.

 

Morally superior? Do you think people who don't use the n-word are doing so only because they want to act morally superior?

 

You nor I have any power to change the name. But I don't doubt that it will change. Because it's the right thing to do. Most right things to do eventually happen.

 

How long? Who knows? Perhaps it will take a new owner, so it may be a while.

 

So how do you fell about the proposal to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School ...

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The sun's not yellow, it's chicken.